Powder box



R. W. OLIVER Apr. 17,

POWDER BOX Filed May 18 1922 I'HVHT' GEM Patented Apr. 1?, i923.

RALPH W. OLIVER, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO.

POWDER BOX.

Application filed May 18, 1922. Serial No. 561,880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RALPH W. OLIVER, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the count ofLucas and State of Ohio, have made an nvention Appertaining to a PowderBox; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference markedthereon, which form a' part of this specificatioii.

This invention relates to toilet articles and particularly to a powderbox adapted to contain or receive a powder puff and a quantity ofpowder.

The object of the invention is the provision of a powder box having achamber in its bottom for containing powder and adapted, by pressure onthe to wall of the chamber, to discharge a smal amount of powder fromthechamber thereof to facilitate gathering the powder on a powder puifwithout exposing all of the powder. The box is also adapted to contain apowder puff above the chamber.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following detailed description of the invention.

While the invention in its broader aspect is capable of embodiment innumerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a box embodylng the-invention in closedposition. Fig. 2 1s a front view thereof with the box cover openand apowder pull in place in the box. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of, the boxin open position with the powder puff removed. Fig. 4 is a centralvertical section of the box with the cover in open position, and Fig. 5is a top planview of the flexible false bottom which forms the top 8fthe powder containing chamber of the Referringto the drawings, Idesignates the body or bottom portion and 2 the cover of a box embodyingthe invention, which members may be hinged together and are preferably,though not necessarily, circular in form. The box body 1 is providedtherein with aremovable diaphragm 3 of any suitable fairly stifimaterial of a flexible onto the top nature, such for instance ascelluloid, tin, cardboard or the like, and this diaphragm is adapted tofit into the body member and is spaced therefrom by any suitable edgespacing means to form a false bottom therefor. In the present instance,such spacing means comprises a ring of feltlike material .4 which isglued or otherwise suitably fixed to the bottom of the box body aroundthe interior edge portion thereof and a similar ring 5 is secured to theunder marginal edge portion of the diaphragm 3 in position to. seat downon the ring 4;. These rings, being of a yielding material, readilyaccommodate themselves to each other or to the surfaces against whichthey press, and form a close joint to prevent the escape of powderaround the edge of the member 3.

The diaphragm 3, which is of disc form, when used in connection with acircular form of box, is supported by the members 4 and 5 or othersuitable spacing means above the bottom of the box body and cooperatestherewith to form a chamber 6 in the bottom of the box bod forcontaining a quantity of powder and forms the bottom of an upperchamber. The diaphragm '3 is of a flexible nature to adapt it to be'presseddoyyn into the chamber at its central portion, and is providedwith one or more centrally disposed perforations 8 so that whendepressed into engagement with the powder in the chamber 7 the air whichrushes out from the chamber through the perforations during thecompressing action carries with it a greater or less quantity of powderwhich gathers on the top of the diaphragm 3 in segregating relationtothe powder in the chamber 7 and in position to be gathered up by thepowder pufi'. It is found in practicethat it is not necessary tocompletely compress the diaphragm 3 to eject powder from the chamber 7onto the top of the member, but that a few light taps of a finger on thediaphragm will cause a suflicient agitation of air within the chamber toeject a small quantity of powder therefrom.

By the use of my'invention it is possible to use powder in powder pufiboxes without danger of spilling thepowder and obviates the use ofpowder cakes in such boxes. The diaphragm or false bottom 3 has asufficiently snu fit in the box to' prevent its falling there rom shouldthe box be invertwithout departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and .desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a box of the class described, a flexible diaphragm removabletherefrom and having centrally disposed perforations, a ring offelt-like material spacing themar= fiilnal ed portion of the 'aphra fromt e box ttom and compressible y pressure on the diaph to form a closeoint between the diaphragm and bottom, the diaphragm, box bottom andring cooperating to form a powder receiving chamber.

2. A powder box having horizontally connected top and body portions, aflexible diaphragm removably mounted in the body portion of the box andhaving centrally disposed perforations, separate marginal ring-likemembers of a soft compressible material secured to the box bottom anddiaphragmrespectively in position to seat one against the other to spacethe diaphragm from the box bottom and to co-operate therewith to form apowder chamber which is closed except for the perforations in thediaphragm.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this secification.

RALPH W. OLIVER.

